The Advanced Air Diving Helmet and Mixed Gas Diving Helmet were one of the earliest modern diving helmets. They are constructed of a lightweight fiberglass material which afforded great protection to the diver's head. In the water it gave the diver great impact protection and its nonconductive nature made it particularly suitable for underwater cutting and welding operations. The mixed gas version is constructed of stainless steel and plated brass fittings is paired with the mixed gas version of the helmet which together made up the semi closed mixed gas diving system . The fiberglass helmet is attached to the breastplate which was made of brass or fiberglass. The breastplate was affixed to the divers suit with twelve studs in a similar manner to the standard copper helmet which was its predecessor. Divers often preferred however to use the alternative method of sealing the helmet which was with the use of a neck dam , a newly developed neoprene collar which sealed the helmet around the diver's neck. This gave the diver much more all around vision as he was free to move his head rather than his whole body.

The mixed gas diving system uses a helium-oxygen mixture and when used with the back pack scrubber pack means a significant reduction in the amount of gas required. The helmet's development meant the diver had great versatility and could wear fins for free swimming or weighted boots for bottom work . A variety of suits was also available including dry suits wet suits or even hot water suits. The helmets were distributed through Diver's Echange, INC in the USA and through Divex (UK) LTD in England.
 


George Swindell the inventor of the Advanced Diving Systems Helmet seen here demonstrating an early helmet without the
breastplate. You can clearly see the jock strap system assembly which is used to hold the helmet firmly on the diver's head.
 
One of the first style of Air Helmet designed by George Swindell with only one window but very large and giving the wearer a good field of vision. There is a simple air control valve to regulate the incoming pressure and an exhaust valve with a push valve to dump air from the helmet quickly.
 
This is the next design of Air Helmet that was developed. All the chrome plating has been removed exposing the brass metal parts.
 
This was the next style of Air Helmet and now there has been a top window added. To the rear there are the comms binding posts and a cast branch to accommodate a bail out supply. This helmet was used on the construction of the Thames Barrier in London.
 
Rear view of the helmet and view of the underneath of the helmet showing the neck dam and the wire rope lanyard which hold the helmet by attaching to a jock strap system.
 

Model 2000 helmet with optional breastplate
 
Model 3610 Mixed gas system
 


Left hand side of Advanced Air helmet showing air control valve.
 


Earlier style Advanced 200 Mixed Gas helmet on a breastplate.
 

Front view showing the exhaust control valve on the left hand side.
 
Front view showing extra connection port for connection to backpack.
 

Rear view showing the telephone binding posts.
 
Rear view of Advanced helmet showing extra ports.
 

The helmet can be used with a corselet or with a neck ring. Using the corselet has two disadvantages:
since the hat has only one large front glass you have to turn your whole body if you want to look to the side and second run run the "old fashioned" risk of a blowup.
 

The helmet was originally developed by George Swindell, and manufactured by Advanced Diving Equipment & Manufacturing Company in Gretna, Louisiana USA. Beckman Instrument Company later merged with Advanced Diving Equipment & Manufacturing Company. For this reason this popular helmet was called a Swindell, an Advanced or a Beckman. The company stopped production in the late 1970-ies. Photo courtesy of Leon Lyons.

Rob Krul from The Netherlands about to go down.
In this case without breastplate and with neck dam and jockstrap
 
HI KARIN AND BERT. I FOUND YOUR INFORMATION ON THE ADVANCED 2000 HELMET TO BE OF INTEREST BECAUSE I OWN ABLE MARINE - THE COMPANY THAT CURRENTLY BUILDS THE ADVANCED 2000 HELMET. I PURCHASED THE RIGHTS TO BUILD THE HELMETS FROM DIVERS EXCHANGE (divex-usa) ON FEB.1 1992.THEY BUILT THE HELMETS FROM THE LATE 70'S TILL THEY BUILT THE ARAWAK 5 AND LOST THERE BUTT ON IT IN THE MID 80'S .  I BOUGHT EVERYTHING THAT WAS LEFT EXCEPT THE REAL ESTATE. I HAVE ALL THE BLUEPRINTS FOR EVERYTHING THEY BUILT . ALSO ALL THE TOOLING AND THOUSANDS OF RECORDS.   I ALSO HAVE THE 24K GOLD PLATED ADVANCED 2000 THEY HAD FOR A DISPLAY PIECE. WOULD YOU LIKE A PHOTO OF IT?  INTERESTING NOTE; DIVERS EXCHANGE ALSO DID ALL THE R&D ON THE MK12 & MK14 HELMETS AS WELL AS SOME THEN TOP SECRET SPOOKY STUFF (PHOTOS & BLUEPRINTS AVAILABLE) MK6 ALSO. ALL THE BEST, BOB.

Bob Johnson of Able Marine currently builds the Advanced 2000 helmet. Bob purchased the rights to the Advanced Diving Helmet from The Divers Exchange ( DIVEX- USA). They built the Arawak 5 until the mid 1980s Divers Exchange also did all the research and Development on the Mark 6 and the Mark 12 and Mark 14 Helmets for the US Navy as well as other experimental helmets.